Toy.



F, L. DYER.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.23. 1916. 1,234,885., Patented July 31, 1917.

1i fiiness Znzzenim" the toy, and permittin FFICE- FRANK L. DYER, OF MON TGLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed December 23, 1916. Serial No. 138,626.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK L. DYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

My improved toy is preferably used in connection with kites, and is in the form of a light traveler which is preferably designed and ornamented to represent an aeroplane or dirigible. It is provided with a propelling plane so arranged that when the toy is supported on the kite string it will be impelled upward toward the kite, and means are provided by which the propelling plane will be disabled after the toy has progressed a considerable distance up the kite string, to thereby permit the toy to descend by Y gravity. Preferably the propelling plane is in the form of two wlngs pivotally connected to the body of the toy and normally, extending approximately perpendicularly to present surfaces by which the toy will be propelled along the kite string and when the propelling plane is in the form of two wings I provide for a pivotal movement of the wings, allowing them to collapse so as to lie substantially parallel with the body of the latter to return by gravity. The tripping of the propelling plane can be efiected in any suitable way, but I prefer to bring it about automatically by so arranging the wings that under normal conditions the toy will be propelled forward, but when a substantial resistance to its forward progress is encountered the wind pressure on the wings will automatically collapse them to permit the toy to return by gravity. This may be done by so pivoting the wings that they will occupy a normal slightly oblique position back of a line extending perpendicularly to the body of the toy, being held in this position by a light spring, so that when an undue resistance is oflered to the forward progress of the toy the wind pressure will blow' the wings forwardly against this spring pressure and the spring will assist in collapsing the same. The resistance to the forward movementof the toy which brings about its automatic return may be imposed in any suitable way, but it is preferably imposed by causing the toy to come into contact with the belly-band of the kite, or other stop on the kite string, or by so adjusting the tripping mechanism that when the toy encounters a steeper angle as it approaches the kite sufiici'ent resistance will be opposed to its forward progress as to cause the propelling plane to be collapsed. Preferably I arrange the propelling plane at a sufficient angle with respect to the vertical as to cause the wind pressure not only to propel the toy forward, but also to produce a suflicient lifting effect as to prevent an objectionable downward drag on the kite string. In fact this angle may be made sufliciently great as to impose no weight whatever on the kite string. The toy presents an attractive novelty, adds to the zest and interest of kite flying, and is cheap and simple in construction and durable and effective in use.

It will, of course. be understood that although the improved toy is especially adapted for use in connection with kites, yet it may be employed to run back and forth on an inclined cord, stretched between two fixed pointsfor, example, a flag-pole or lightning-rod and the boys hand or a stake in the ground; or, instead, it maybe operated indoors on an inclined cord, the air blast being furnished by an electric fan.

In order that the invention may be better understood attention is directed to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a perspective view showing a kite with the toy traveling upward on the kite string;

1 Fig. 2 is a top view looking downward and showing in dotted lines the position of the two wings when the same are collapsed;

Fig. 3 is a side view showing in dotted lines the collapsed position of the wings;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken vertically through the body of the toy and showing a convenient way for pivoting the n a Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional View of one of the supporting pulleys.

In the. above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals.

The kite 1 is of any suitable construction and is flown by means of the string 2 on which the toy travels. The toy comprises a I body 3 made preferably to represent a flying machine, and which can be conveniently constructed of two sheets of pasteboard 4, 1 (see Fig. 7 pasted together. At the forward end of the toy, and between the pasteboard layers is a tapered wooden plug 5 in which is inserted a brad 6 forming a pivot for a small sheet metal spinner 7, which will be rotated rapidly by the wind. The toy is supported on the kite string in any suitable way, as, for example, by a wire 8 secured between the two pasteboard layers and carrying small pulleys 9, 9. These pulleys may be omitted and eyelets substituted. As

shown in Fig. 8 the wire at each pulley is provided with a hooked end 10, which can be released to permit the ready application of the toy on the kite string. I illustrate the toy as being provided with two wings 11, 11, which together constitute the propelling plane by which the toy will be propelled upwardly on the kite string. The toy normally occupies the position as shown in Fig. 1, somewhat inclined upwardly, and the propelling plane is also preferably inclined slightly away from the vertical as shown in Fig. 3, so that it also produces a lifting effect to prevent objectionable sagging on the kite string. Any suitable construction can be used to pivot-the wings 11, 11, but I can conveniently use a bent wire 12 in each wing formed with eyes 13, 13. Each pair of eyes is mounted on a ring 14 secured to the body of the toy by a rivet 15. The wires 12 preferably extend below the wings and form hooks 16, and a rubber band 17 extends between these hooks. As shown in Fig. 6, the normal position of the wings is slightly back of a line drawn perpendicularly through the toy, so that the Wings will be held in this normal position by the spring 17. Two sheet metal angular I pieces 18 limit the backward position of the wings. These angular pieces may be secured in place by the same rivet 15 that is employed to hold the ring lat in place to constitute the bottom hinge. By suitably bending the angular pieces 18 the normal position of the wings can be adjusted to provide for their tripping when any desired resistance to the forward movement of the toy is encountered. Thus when the wings are very nearly at right, angles to the body of the toy they will be tripped and blown forwardly, to the position shown in dotted lines Figs. 2 and 3, when a very slight resistance to the forward movement of the toy is encountered, and as the wings are normally adjusted to a greater extent rearwardly theymesses will be tripped only when a greater resistance is encountered. It will be seen that when the wings are tripped the spring 17 will be slightly stretched until the wings reach a right-angular position with respect to the toy, and thereafter the spring will assist in the tripping of the wings. The tripping can be adjusted so as to take place when the toy encounters the steep angle of the kite string near the kite, or the adjustmentcan be such as to provide for the tripping when the toy encounters anactual physical obstruction on the kite string, such string, and a-- propelling plane carried by the traveler for driving the same along the string by wind pressure, the propelling plane being inclined with its lower edge forward of its upper edge so as to secure a lifting effect, substantially as set forth.

' 2. A toy in the form of a traveler adapted to be supported by a kite or other inclined "string, a pair of pivoted wings presenting surfaces by which the traveler will be propelled along the string by wind pressure, the wings occupying a normal position at a small angle rearward of the axis and a spring normally holding the wings in this .position whereby when resistance to forward progress is encountered the wings will automatically collapse forwardly of the axis-by wind pressure to permit the traveler to return by gravity, substantially as set forth. 7

3. A toy in the form of a traveler-representing a flying machine adapted to be supported by a kite or other inclined string, and provided with a propelling plane by which it will be driven along the string by wind pressure, said propelling plane being arranged at an angle with its lower edge forward of its upper edge, by which a lifting effect will be secured, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this twenty-first day of December, 1916.

. FRANK L. DYER. Witnesses:

A. E. BENTON, J. G. MCDEBHO'I'I'. 

